[Results of the application of the protocol for the early detection of hearing loss in high-risk neonates].

In coordination with the Paediatrics Department, we drew up a protocol for the "Early Detection of Hearing Loss in High-Risk Neonates" based fundamentally on the sequential application of impedanciometry and the Auditory Brain Stem Response (ABR). These are the results obtained from October 1994 to March 2001. Of the 240 children examined, we found 36 cases (15%) of severe-to-profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (> 60 dBs HL). 55% was associated with risk factors. However, we diagnosed only 2 of these cases of hearing loss (5.5%) using the protocol (sent by the neonatology department due to the fact that they showed hearing loss risk factors), since the rest (94.5%) came as a result of suspected hearing loss, which resulted in an average age for diagnosis of 3 years. Although the procedure used is highly sensitive and is diagnostically specific, in the light of these results, we consider it necessary to extend hearing screening to all newborn infants in order to evaluate its effectiveness in the early detection of infant deafness.